“Whatever else be lost among the years, Let us keep
Christmas still a shining thing:
Whatever doubts assail us, or what fears, Let
us hold close one day, remembering;Its poignant meaning for the hearts of men.
Let us get back our childlike faith again.”

“I greet you at this
Christmas Season, in love and fellowship, and with a prayer that our
Eternal Father will look down upon you in mercy and pour out His
bounteous blessings upon you.

“In these times when iniquity abounds, when there are great tribulations
on the earth, when there are wars and rumors of wars, we are all in
need, as never before, of the guiding and preserving care of the Lord. .
. .

“. . . I now pray that at this Christmas Season, and at all times, we
may center our faith in the Son of God and gain for ourselves that peace
which passeth understanding.”

From George Helliesen
('61) of VA - 11/20/16 - "Four Legged Soldiers (#30 in a series of 30)":

MORE WOWZERS!
Thanks, George! These
images have been very moving!

From
My Niece, Shari, of VA - 12/09/16 - "Are we having fun yet with Santa?
(#10 in a series of 19)":

Thanks, Shari!

BONUS
CHRISTMAS STORY:

From My Friend, Tammy, of UT - 12/07/14 - "Daily Christmas Story (#20
in a Series of 24)":

This year I decided to
share some of my favorite Christmas stories and quotes. It is a
tradition in our family to read a Christmas story every night in
December culminating with the Nativity on the 24th.

Christmas Story Day 20,
Bobby's New Shoes by Nancy B. Gibbs

Bobby's
New Shoes

After receiving a gift from a kind stranger when he was a young boy, my
father created his own holiday tradition.

On a cold winter morning in the late 1930s Bobby awoke early.

It wasn't a day that would be remembered by many, nor would it go down
in history as especially important. But it was a day that Bobby would
never forget.

Bobby, his mother, and his three younger brothers were once again
abandoned by Bobby's father. When times got hard, the man who was
supposed to be the head of the house left home. He couldn't handle the
responsibility of a hungry family. It wasn't the first time he left, so
Bobby wasn't surprised.

Bobby searched the bare cupboards and realized there was no food in the
kitchen. His tummy was growling. So he put on the warmest clothes he
had.

Faith is connected to hope and hope means believing in spite of the
evidence and then watching the evidence change.

He pulled on an old pair of socks and placed cardboard in his worn-out
shoes. With holes in the soles, he hoped the cardboard would help keep
his feet dry, at least for a little while.

Bobby hit the roads looking for work. He was a strong child and had
worked many times before. His goal was to earn enough money to purchase
food for the day along with a few cans of vegetables for Christmas
dinner.

A few blocks from home, Bobby came across some men working on the side
of the road.

"Can I help?" Bobby inquired.

"Sure," one of the men answered and tossed him a shovel. Bobby worked
hard for hours. Suddenly, the rain and sleet pounded down.

"Here's your money," one of the men shouted, as he tossed him a few
coins. "Go home and get out of this weather."

Bobby clutched the change in the palm of his hand. He then ran to the
nearest grocery store. He used the money to buy as much food as he could
afford. His socks were soaking wet. His feet were numb. While holding a
small bag of groceries, Bobby stopped to adjust the cardboard in his
shoes.

A man in uniform, a representative from The Salvation Army, witnessed
Bobby's distress.

"Hey son," the kind gentleman said. "Are those the only shoes you have?"

"Yes Sir," Bobby confessed.

The uniformed man took Bobby and bought him a brand new pair of shoes.
Bobby danced and skipped all the way home.

I wasn't there on that cold December day. But I've heard the story many
times and could always picture my father, as a child, dancing and
skipping, wearing a shiny pair of dress shoes home. Daddy often spoke
about how he could see his reflection in those special shoes.

Several years later, Daddy joined the Navy. He continued to send money
home to support his family. But Daddy always saved enough money for the
Salvation Army, hoping that another little boy somewhere may receive a
new pair of shoes for Christmas.

The tradition lasted until my father became too ill to shop. Daddy
passed away six years ago.

It is my hope that many people will remember this story when they hear
the Salvation Army bells ring at store fronts and malls all over this
country. And in Daddy's memory, I pray that little children everywhere
will have the opportunity to dance and skip.

While the new shoes kept Bobby's feet warm in the 1930s, his act of
giving back for several decades warmed his heart in a much greater way.

Each time I drop money in a Salvation Army bucket, I remember my father,
his story, and his first new pair of shoes. Then I count it as a
blessing to be able to give.

In my mind's eye, I can see a child somewhere—dancing, skipping and
wearing a new pair of dress shoes—and my heart is warmed, as well.

Two snakes were slithering down the
street. "Oh man, I have to ask you something!" the little one
said.

"What is it?" asked the other snake.

"Are we poisonous?"

The other one replied, "Of course we are, why?"

"Because I just bit my lip."

DATES TO REMEMBER:

1.
Wednesday, January 11, 2017 - The NNHS Class of June 1942
meets at noon on the second Wednesday of every other month
for a Dutch treat lunch at the James River Country Club,
1500 Country Club Road. PLEASE JOIN THEM. Give or take a few
years makes no difference. Good conversation, food and
atmosphere. For details, call Jennings Bryan at 803-7701 for
reservations.